


Swords to Plowshares

by weazelbeater



Series: Love and War [3]
Category: Kill la Kill
Genre: Blood and Gore, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Language, F/F, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Sexual Content, Sexual Humor, hardmode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 23:17:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5720731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weazelbeater/pseuds/weazelbeater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kiryuin Satsuki pulls something bloody out from Matoi Ryuko’s pierced, mangled flesh. She is then mercilessly tortured by her younger sibling. How could it have come to this…?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Swords to Plowshares

 

 

The mansion was quiet. A hush of heated air from the floor vent was the only perceivable sound to Kiryuin Satsuki’s ears, save for the occasional creak of an ever-settling house foundation. Shifting slightly on the couch, tingling legs complained as she huddled her blanket-swathed form closer to the well-worn copy of _Robin Hood_ in her hands.

Fingers slowly tracing the cover, she admired the delicate Louis Rhead artwork that depicted Robin Hood and Little John, locked in fierce staff combat. A tiny smile flickered across her otherwise somber expression, as a comical image of Gamagoori Ira dressed in Lincoln green attire floated into her mind’s eye, his staff flailing as he valiantly protected the honor of fair Maid Mankanshoku.

Satsuki chuckled, and then sighed as the tide of her pensiveness washed back. “Friends fight. Lovers quarrel. These are facts. I must remember that is a normal thing to experience.” the brunette whispered to herself, far-away eyes replaying the cacophony of battles she had witnessed in the not-too-distant past. Matoi Ryuko struggling against Sanageyama Uzu, swords clashing. Pitted against Gamagoori Ira, fiber against whip. Mankanshoku Mako’s brass knuckle-clad fist crashing mercilessly against Ryuko’s jaw.

 _This_ image in particular stung quite bitterly, as it depicted a betrayal engineered by her own sordid hand, shrewdly designed to destroy a genuine friendship…just to prove a point. Guilt chewed at her conscience internally as she found herself chewing at a thumbnail externally.

Disgusted, Satsuki placed the tome back into the bookshelf and cast her eyes across the other volumes she always turned to in times of stress.

Every book spied was briefly considered, and then passed over. The troubled heiress did not want to be reminded of interpersonal conflict at this particular point in time…yet these were the very kind of books she had thrived upon in her youth.

Satsuki realized at this point that her personal book collection didn’t really contain any light or humorous fare that would serve to ease her mind right now…unless Sun Tzu’s _The Art of War_ had recently been reissued as a children’s pop-up book, she was going to have to look for distraction elsewhere.

She was startled by the sudden sound of the mansion’s doorbell, chimes echoing in the evening’s quiet. “Who on Earth could be here this late? Oh, this better not be a harbinger of bad news… _what if_ …!” she muttered, breaking into a swift jog as she raced to the main door. The servants had all been sent away for the week, so it was up to her to discover the identity of her visitor.

The head of the Kiryuin household apprehensively cracked the door open, and a wash of relief surged over her as she took in the image of Matoi Ryuko, arms tucked behind her as she stood at the entrance in silence.

“Ryuko! Hello! I was just wondering if I might get to see you this evening before I retired to bed…ah, why…did you ring the doorbell? You live here now, this is your home. Did you perhaps lose your keys…again?” Satsuki queried, her uplifted attitude offset slightly by the strangeness of Ryuko’s oddly proper stance.

“Hello, Satsuki. No, I didn’t lose my keys. I just wanted to be polite and act proper for once. You know, like a proper member of society should. Act proper. Properly. Like…this.” Ryuko nodded towards the doorbell, and Satsuki slowly nodded in response.

“Of…course, dear. That is rather thoughtful of you. I appreciate the gesture, but you do not have to do that here. Please do come in, and I will prepare some tea…or perhaps some hot cocoa would be more to your liking, imouto?” The door opened wide, and Satsuki swept her hand dramatically towards the threshold, motioning her young sister to come inside.

Ryuko’s eyes lit up, then darted away as she frowned slightly. “I would _love_ that, but I kinda need…um, I need to ask a favor of you first. It’s important.” She rocked back onto her heels nervously as Satsuki exclaimed “Of course! I will assist you in any way I can. What do you require, Ryuko?”

“Well, I kinda need help with _-ahem-_ a…splinter. I can’t quite seem to remove it myself, and I _-ah-_ well…I’ll need you to help with extracting it. I don’t mean for ya to worry, but I didn’t want to drip any blood on that poor floor, ya know…it’s seen enough of _my_ fury lately. R-right, Sats? Heh-heh-heh-heh- _heh_ …?” Ryuko mumbled sheepishly.

Satsuki regarded her sister’s somewhat silly countenance, then sighed as she clapped her hands together. “Of course, I will help you _wait_ -“ She stopped abruptly, her sensitive ears picking up _plip-plik-plip_ sounds issuing from somewhere behind her sister’s back.

Her slitted eyes searched Ryuko’s somewhat pathetic ‘ _guilty eyes/smiling teeth_ ’ combo as she started to wander around the younger girl to see what was causing this peculiar sound. To Satsuki’s trained ear, it sounded eerily like…blood dripping down upon a concrete and slate doorstep. She sniffed, sensing something familiar, a slight…tang in the air.

Ryuko slowly turned her body towards Satsuki’s inquisitive hunting, sputtering nervously “N-now just hooold on a minute, Sats! B-before you go doing that, let me just explain what happened first and I can prepare you for th- _URK_!”

Satsuki’s hand snaked around and expertly grabbed Ryuko’s hidden hand, yanking it out from behind her and dragging it into the main foyer’s glow. A glistening stump of gore-soaked wood protruded from her sister’s left hand, wedged tightly between her index and middle finger knuckles.

Ryuko’s flesh bulged awkwardly, the grotesque lump outlining the vague shape of the splinter in bloodless white relief as it disappeared deep within her hand. Droplets of blood trickled out from around the protruding stump, splattering a tiny Jackson Pollock masterpiece on the mansion’s steps.

Satsuki’s eyes widened in utter shock, mouth contorted open in horror. “ _Nanja korya?!_ M- MatoiRyuko _howdidthis happen! Did you wreck your bike?!” _Ryuko abjectly mumbled “…punched a tree.”

The elder Kiryuin blinked. “Ah…what, dear? I didn’t catch that…you…did _what_ , exactly?” Ryuko hissed through her faux-smile “I. Punched. A. _Tree_.”

Satsuki looked at the hand, then to her sister’s face, then back to the hand. Head tilted ever so slightly, she slowly asked “Why did you do that, dear sister? Wait. That was a _serious_ comment earlier? When you said that you needed to go ‘ _punch some trees’?_ ”

Ryuko immediately transformed the fake smile into a genuine grimace, groaning in pain as she growled as sweetly as she could possibly manage. “Why, Satsuki! I’ll be _happy_ to go over all the details of my situation…if you could possibly arrange for a pair of pliers and a bucket? This actually hurts, like…for real. I kinda can’t move my fingers, the hand bones are wedged together all funny? I mean, I can _sorta_ wiggle the little one, just enough to operate the clutch to shift, but uhh…I couldn’t quite get enough of a grip on the stump with my teeth, the blood makes it all… _slippery_? And there’s not enough wood sticking out here to really pry it out with a-”

Satsuki, suddenly having her fill of the awful, cartoonish images that were playing out in her head (Ryuko, nibbling and gnawing at her paw like a hapless mongrel, stopping briefly to furiously scratch at her ear with one foot), blurted out “ _Dôshiyô, dôshiyô, dôshiyô_ …Okay! _Enough!_ Let’s get this injury properly addressed, _oh Gods aloft_ , how does this stuff _happen_ to you? We shall…get you to a bathroom. Here, come with me immediately. There’s one down the hall just a bit, right down here. Please come with me, my poor sweet imouto-san!”

Ryuko hesitatingly drew back her arm, stopping Satsuki’s gentle corralling efforts. “Look, I really think we should do this in the garage, okay? That’s where the pliers are, and I think there’s a bucket under-”

“Absolutely _not_! That is a most unhygienic area, and we cannot run the risk of infection!” Satsuki indignantly admonished, rolling her eyes even as she squeezed Ryuko’s shoulder to attempt some level of sisterly comfort.

Ryuko grumbled impatiently, teeth grinding loudly. “Oh, for fuck’s _sake_ , Kiryuin! Remember who you are dealing with here? I do not bleed gently! You pull this stump out, there will be blood frickin’ everywhere! Trust me, I do not have _low_ blood pressure. Remember when ‘ _Doctor Disconipples’_ Mikisugi first noted that my systolic and diastolic numbers were at what he called ‘firehose’ levels? I will need a _bucket_ for this, or else it will be like ‘ _Tokyo Gore Police: The Home Game_ ’ in here! You want to clean up a goddamned crime scene in _here_? Ain’t no mop-wielding servants around here now, as far as _I_ can tell?”

Her jaw tightening with determination and just a dash of frustration, Satsuki grabbed the wounded juvenile’s arm and coaxed her towards the garage door, not wanting to waste any more precious time arguing with ‘ _Matoi Ryuko, Queen of the Stubborn Delinquents_ ’.

 

-

 

Clearing off a space on the garage’s jumbled workbench, Satsuki primly noted to herself ‘ _Ryuko still never cleans up her motorcycle projects in here, I see…what a big surprise!’_ She proceeded to grab a fistful of new shop towels out of their packaging and spread a few out upon the worktable’s surface.

Noisily dragging a stool over to one side of the table, Satsuki wordlessly motioned her sister to sit, rushing afterwards to scavenge a suitable pair of pliers from Ryuko’s toolbox.

Ryuko watched her sister dart around, gathering up the necessary equipment as she sat there wincing, hand throbbing in concert to her rapid heartbeat.

Though the pain was ferocious, she still managed to idly observe that Satsuki’s butt was absolutely flawless: the sight of which caused Ryuko’s heart rate to kick up just a fraction more as a result. _‘She keeps bending over like that, there’ll be blood shooting from my nose, too!’ _she wryly thought to herself, mischievous tongue tip peeking out from between peeled-back lips.

Skilled hands blurring in practiced harmony, Satsuki took a deep breath to center herself, steeling for the painful procedure that she was about to inflict upon her impulsive young sister. She then proceeded to issue directions with the rapid, controlled precision of a seasoned emergency paramedic.

“Matoi, here’s what is going to happen: I am going to give you _this_ wooden dowel. You are going to bite down on it while I kneel down here and hold your hand over this plastic bucket. When I say, I am going to secure a firm grip with these pliers, then pull the splinter out in one movement. The moment the wood is removed, I will then proceed to douse your hand with a splash of _this_ denatured alcohol, then apply pressure to the wound with _this_ towel, see? Provided this goes well, I _should_ be able to get the bleeding under control quickly enough to then move you inside the house, where the first aid supplies are located…to allow for  proper dressing of the wound. Is this clear?”

Ryuko nodded wordlessly, not wanting to speak for fear of her voice betraying the level of pain she was in. Satsuki kneeled before her, pliers at the ready. “Now, imouto: when I do this, all I ask is that you please refrain from striking me, or otherwise hurling any heavy objects at a substantial velocity around the garage. Agreed?”

Ryuko shoved the thick dowel into her mouth, canines digging into the wood. “Mm, hmm.” she hummed, patience already dissolving fast. Satsuki’s hand then quickly caressed Ryuko’s cheek as she said quietly “I apologize for hurting you in advance…as well for any pain I may have caused in the recent past. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

Cheeks glowing red like candy apples, Ryuko nodded dismissively, eyes rolling around in an agitated fashion. “Juf geddon wif id, pweef?” she uttered from behind the dowel, drool already starting to collect in the corners of her mouth.

Satsuki blinked and smiled tersely, then an expression of stone concentration took over as she proceeded to spread shop towels over the floor and Ryuko’s thighs. Sliding one hand up to firmly grasp Ryuko’s forearm, she kneeled to one side and precisely maneuvered the pliers over the embedded wood’s maroon-soaked edge. She breathed in steadily, then met eyes with her sibling, watching for signs of a panicked retreat.

Seeing only the briefest of nods from Ryuko’s sweaty head, Satsuki steadily exhaled, then whispered into her trembling sister’s ear “Okay, here we go. On three…all right? One, two, _three_.” She then yanked out the offending foreign object in one steady movement, removing it as gracefully as she would unsheathe an ebon blade from a pale scabbard.

Ryuko tensed up, jaw stiffening as she grunted a string of unintelligible curses into a now-creaking dowel. Neck and forehead pulsing a dark maroon, sweat trickled down in a torrent as veins throbbed under the skin of her temple.

A torrent of blood gushed into the bucket, the rhythmic _pum-pssht_ of crimson matching her agony-quickened pulse in perfect time. Satsuki tossed the pliers away, grabbed the alcohol tin and poured a liberal dose onto the open gash.

Clear mucous strings flew from Ryuko’s nose as she exhaled violently, a new flavor of agony shooting through her hand. Satsuki pressed a rag onto the wound, applying pressure to stem the prodigious flow of blood that was now coursing out. A white carnation of cloth slowly transformed into brilliant scarlet, as though by magic in an illusionist’s talented hands.

She whispered soothing words of encouragement into Ryuko’s ear, nuzzling gently at her cheek while the young patient spat and grumbled an incoherent litany of chokes and whimpers.

“You’re okay, it’s okay. It’s out. It’s all over.” Satsuki repeated, trying to soothing her wounded sister’s attitude, if not pride. Ryuko spat the cracked lumber out onto the garage floor, noisily blowing a raspberry of moist bits out in an effort to rid herself of any association with wooden substances in general.

“Man, I don’t know _how_ that Wolverine guy does it. That truly  sucked!” Ryuko quipped, and Satsuki just stared cluelessly at her sister’s grinning face. Noting the blank expression that greeted her clever observation, Ryuko chuckled.

“You know, the X-Men guy? Furry dude with the cool metal claws in his hands? They pop out here?” She held up her right fist and uttered an exaggerated ‘ _shhhink_ ” sound effect.

Satsuki slowly shook her head, one Spock-like eyebrow cocked up high. “I missed that, whatever it was…sorry, imouto.”

Ryuko’s grin widened, and she murmured “Well, we’ll just have to do a movie date night and get you all caught up! But here, check this out: so that guy has a really sweet superpower, right? He heals from any wound, like, _super_ quick. It’s a talent that I kinda share with him. See?”

Ryuko reached down and drew Satsuki’s hand away from her wound. Satsuki started to protest, then stopped abruptly as she saw the opening glow with a faint red sparkly pattern, life fibers working to stitch up the gash from within.

“It hasn’t even been two minutes! How did…you heal _that_ quickly? And what of the portions of splinter still inside the wound, surely there are small bits of debris that need to be cleaned out properly…? It might become infected!”

The young former street tough just shrugged. “Aw, it’s no big deal. This used to happen all the time, sis. I just needed help with getting that piece out, it’s just kinda awkward to have it jammed deep in my fist like that, ya know? I ain’t ever had a time when any wood or metal got stuck _so_ hard I couldn’t somehow pick it out myself, ya know? I always healed pretty quick, even as a kid…it’s just in super mega overdrive, now that my fibers are fully awakened. Oh, and my body will expel the little leftover bits eventually. It’s a real pain in my ass to sometimes have to sweep out the bed sheets for shrapnel, but, eh…it takes care of itself over time.”

Satsuki frowned, soft eyes of worry ruefully contemplating Ryuko’s horribly violent upbringing. “Imouto, I am so sorry for what you have had to endure in your lifetime. If only I had _known_ you were alive, I could have protected you from all of it! Curse our fates.”

Ryuko’s eyes rolled gently, dismissing her sister’s worry with a shrug. “Aw, c’mon. It made me tough. I’ll be okay…I wish I could have protected _you_ more, though. What you suffered under Ragyo, just…unimaginably bad stuff. Way worse than anything _I_ got, I think.”

Her eyes saddened, Ryuko stroked Satsuki’s cheek. She quietly whispered to her beloved elder sibling “I woulda taken it all for ya if I could have, Sats. I’d have done _anything_.”

Kiryuin Satsuki’s face stiffened, mask of practiced solitude reflexively dropping into place. “Never say such things. _Ever_. We have both suffered, yes. Do not diminish your own experiences. Our circumstances were different, but we coped however we could...we each found our way to do so. It is our own family blood, our indomitable _steel_ that made us both who we were, and who we are  still! Never forget that, Matoi Ryuko.”

Frowning deeply, Ryuko’s teeth ground noisily in anger. “Tainted blood, tainted steel...from _her_ damned veins. No wonder we’re so fucking twisted inside. Was it always this way, Sats? What did our dad even _see_ in that cancerous bitch, anyway? That’s what  I don’t get!”

A pensive calm overtook the elder Kiryuin, words falling out of her mouth as if they were just casual sighs. “Love…is strange, sometimes. From what I could divine…when Soroi occasionally reminisced of better times, was that she wasn’t _always_ like that. She was, over time, poisoned by the influence of the Primordial Life Fiber. Our father loved a human woman once. What she became later was not human, of course…but a hybrid puppet. Father allowed himself to be blinded to this, apparently believing that she could get better…or be saved? I do not know.”

She stared at Ryuko’s face, no traces of emotion coloring her speech as she recited her long-sealed secret thoughts. “I believe that he was perhaps not expecting her slow slide into that of a life-fiber zombie. It was only when Father saw how carelessly Ragyo threw you away… _that_ was the broken lynchpin that derailed him. I believe that he may have…gone a little crazy at that moment. Crazed with grief…not only at the loss of you, baby sister. But of his love, his wife…dying for good.”

She slowly caressed Ryuko’s blood-mottled hand, flesh now sealed. Looking down at the healing’s progress, she smiled faintly with relief.

Her hoarse whisper continued unabated. Satsuki could no longer stop the pain from seeping out into the conversation, like a hazardous chemical spill leaches into fertile soil.

“The more I grew throughout puberty, and the quicker her humanity slipped away, the more any truly human barriers within her just…broke down. She saw me more as a conquest, a thing to break and mold as she saw fit. I sometimes wished I wouldn’t develop any more, to stop enticing that evil bitch…but my body developed early. She saw it as a thing to _fuck_. I started to view it as a weapon to _hone_.”

Ryuko squeezed her sister’s hand. Glistening eyes of concern silently signaled that it was okay to stop, to not drag herself through this barbed-wire wall any more. Satsuki almost imperceptibly shook her head, quietly murmuring “No, it’s all right. It’s time to release it. I’ve held onto it for far too long, and I fear that it will poison me forever if I do not confront it on my own terms.“

Satsuki leaned back, sitting down dejectedly onto the cold concrete floor. Ryuko slid off from the stool, creeping forward slowly as she whispered “Hey. Um…is…is it cool if I hold you? Would that be okay, Sats?”

Satsuki nodded once sharply, tears sporadically streaking down her otherwise emotionless face as a result of the sudden motion. Ryuko wobbled awkwardly around her on the floor, kneeling behind her and wrapping her arms around her tightly. She gently kissed Satsuki’s head, then snuggled her chin upon her big sister’s shoulder as she waited somewhat patiently for the purge to continue.

Resigned to her conversation’s fate, Satsuki pressed on. “I can feel the overpowering urge to withdraw into my steel shell, even now. I created it to shield myself, and the more uncertain and unfamiliar I am of my environs, the more I rely upon it to protect me. The little girl I once was…she was so very nervous, so she decided to be brave and strong. She killed her own innocence, slit its throat as a sacrifice in the hopes that the dragon would someday meet its doom as a result. This is the suit of ‘armor’ I sealed myself into long ago…”

Reaching up to pat Ryuko’s hand, she sighed and leaned her cheek against the formerly-wounded fist, ennui taking its toll on her mood. “I thought of the stories I had read as a child, with knight-errants of old slaying evil dragons that threatened the kingdom…this is what I built my castle upon.”

Satsuki laughed to herself, a dry, mirthless utterance. “I suppose I might have been influenced by the Kiryuin family name’s meaning, now that I think of it. Silly, I suppose, but what would another child do in that situation?”

Ryuko squeezed a hug into her sister. “Yeah, well…you were told to more or less _save the planet_. Personally, I think you did a kick-ass job! ‘Specially fer such a _hottie_ …!” Her hand snuck down and playfully tweaked the young Kiryuin’s hip to punctuate her giddy statement.

Ryuko felt her sister’s shoulders tense, then slowly slacken as a controlled sigh rushed out to gain freedom. Satsuki broke away from Ryuko’s grasp at this point, methodically drawing herself around to face her younger sibling and curling up into a protective ball before her. Iron arms tightly crossed over carefully-tucked knee fortifications, she murmured muffled observations from behind guarded ramparts.

“I can feel her, you know…the child I once was. She threatens to peek out, once in a while. It’s been a long, long time since she felt truly safe enough to show her face.” Calculating blue eyes traced the contours of the floor, the bucket, the shop rags…any object that was not capable of judging her.

“Yet I feel as though I can perhaps…trust you, Ryuko. Your experiences are not entirely dissimilar to my own, and I…do not know how to act any more, this protocol simply isn’t known to me. I recognize that you, more than anyone, might understand my position.”

Ryuko awkwardly flopped a hand towards Satsuki, uncoordinated fingers brushing against cold toes. ‘ _Slick move, Matoi…what the heck kind of comfort was that supposed to provide?_’ she mentally admonished, caught between wanting to sweep up her suffering sister in loving affection…and also desiring to avoid having any nearby wooden stakes driven into her greedy, attention-sucking vampiric heart.

Her hand wasn’t quite on either page, however…so it danced a jerky ballet of synaptic conflict, hanging mid-air from a limp wrist. Blushing from the quizzical eyes that now pierced her, Ryuko started to sheepishly trace abstract whorls onto the garage floor instead.

“She can, y’know…come out around me. I promise I’ll protect her and never let her be hurt like that again, as long as she’s willing to put up with me being a dumb-ass, uncultured hick.”

The mistress of Castle Kiryuin cautiously lowered a drawbridge, pale hand seeking out calloused mitt in truce. The parties met in the middle, tentative meeting quickly turning into a life preserver grasp. Elegant, aristocrat fingers gripped rough hoodlum digits as the Steel Queen gracefully accepted the terms of the Matoi-Kiryuin Peace Treaty as offered.

 

-

 

They regarded each other. Apparel was, for the most part, hopelessly ruined by the gory encounter. Flesh was deemed to be united in general soreness, so the now-irrelevant first aid session was cancelled in lieu of a much-needed shower. The keen desire to be in close proximity with one another was now paramount, so this was initiated as a joint venture.

Desire, of course, was tempered by a spectacular lack of sexiness on both the young ladies’ parts, each being too stressed out to entertain even the notion of erotic exploration. Instead, they shared a first-ever onsen-style family bathing session, their wet skinship creating an unspoken bond of mutual trust.

They cleansed themselves in a mutually courteous, yet intimate manner, each tending to the other’s needs in due time. Konjac sponge was exchanged for exfoliating bath towel, European shower gel traded for rose petal moisturizer.

Satsuki’s omnipresent apprehension of bathing with another person present was notably amiss amongst this watery trade show. She found herself more preoccupied with the fact that she wasn’t bothered in the slightest. Not tremulous, not secretly quaking, not even nauseous…

Her heightened bath-radar was blissfully clear. Lavender and jasmine were instead detected in abundance. She closed her eyes, then rechecked. Nothing. Opening her eyes again, Satsuki found herself caught in Ryuko’s gaze.

“Wet hair resets wild hair!” the young punk blurted loudly, brash voice echoing in the expansive enclosure. “S’what you’re thinkin’ right now, right?” She held up a limp wad of soaked hair with daintily pinched fingers, then let it fall to create a wet ‘ _fwap_ ’ against her ruddy cheek.

Satsuki’s lips pursed shyly in quiet amusement, and Ryuko’s heart sang out in silent triumph. ‘ _Challenge one: smile in the shower. Achievement unlocked!!_’ trumpeted out proudly from her in-head loudspeaker.

Tongue dangling mischievously, Ryuko started to gargle the shower’s spray in a cartoony comedy routine meant for an audience of one. Satsuki tilted her head in disbelief, a bemused smirk turning to exaggerated eye rolling.

“You are certainly…something else, Matoi.” her deep voice intonated. She meant to say something pithy that illustrated distaste for such vulgarity, but the urge didn’t quite form in the expected manner. Instead, it manifested as a most-unladylike _snort_ , mirth suddenly escaping from her patrician nose.

Ryuko giggled out loud, one hand pressed over her muzzle as a dripping index finger pointed towards the one-hundred-percent-genuine, accept-no-substitutes embarrassed red cheeks of one Kiryuin Satsuki, long-rumored but never seen in the wild until just now.

“Wha-what…oh, my _goodness_! Did you just _laugh_ through your nose in a most snorty-like manner, my dear Lady Satsy-kins, Duchess of Steel Queensbury?” Ryuko gleefully mocked, unable to resist the tender opportunity.

Nostrils flaring, Satsuki inflated up to her vainglorious self. Laughter fading, Ryuko backed up nervously as Satsuki stepped forward, shower stream cast over her form as light and steam formed a swirling aura about her.

One raised eyebrow twitched, soapy droplets clinging like morning dew. Ryuko found herself pitifully cowering, wondering idly if _this_ was what a soldier felt as the dry * _click*_ of a just-armed landmine was sensed under a combat boot.

The Kiryuin heiress stood there, glowering silently at the wild _meteorum vulgaris_ (下品な流星) that made up her sister’s genus and species. Ryuko sputtered and mumbled, nailed under the harsh interrogation spotlight. “Wh-what, um, - _gulp_ \- do you w-want me to leave? I can totally leave- _Icandothatrightnowasamatteroffact_ -“ 

“ _STOP_.” The snarled command cut off Ryuko’s bluster with a hushed squeak. A hammerhead shark would exude a less sinister presence in water compared to that which now menaced her.

“What I want from you, _Matoi Ryuko_ , you utterly petulant _meteor child_ …is…a hug.”

 

-

 

“Are you…pouting, Princess Imouto-sans- _speech_? Hmm?”

“Sah…skee…gah…yurr…you… _you_? YOU! _Youuuuu-_ ”

“Something to _say_ , little one? You have something to _pay_ , if you will. A fee. Penance. Now.”

“Rrrrr…eh. All right. _Fine._ You win. Jeez.”

“Of _course_ I do, Ryuko. Who am I?”

“…my older, smarter sister.”

“Indeed? Hmm, I shall accept that. You would do well to remember such a fact. Now…come here.”

“ _-sigh-_ Mm-hmm.”

* _squish_ *

“-mmm-“

“ _…mmmmmloveyou_.”

“I love you, too….dork.”

*squelch- _ssshpop_ *

“Ah! Did you hear that? That was _awesome_! Let’s do it again!”

*squashhh- _kpop_ *

“ _-gasp-_ Listen! This sounds just like a suction cup! Aw yeah! That’s sooo frickin’ _cool!_ ”

*shwack- _shhhthhpop_ *

“…that’s enough, Imouto-san.”

“Aw! Now my nips are all hard…?”

“Not tonight, dear. I have a headache.”

“… _aw_.”

 

-

 

Snuggled in bed side by side, they faced each other; Satsuki clad in silk, Ryuko garbed in flannel. They gazed at each other’s towel-wrapped heads: Satsuki reminding herself to doff the towel before sleep…and Ryuko reminding herself that Satsuki resembles a big cotton swab right now.

Satsuki snaked a hand towards Ryuko’s, enveloping it with a soft grasp. “Thank you, imouto-san.” Ryuko yawned sleepily like a newborn kitten, then squeezed back. “Fer wha’?”

“For putting up with me, displaying the occasional hint of patience, for being here for me…with me. I want you to know…I truly appreciate this. I am aware that my personality is not the most cheerful or jubilant. I’m afraid that I will never be as carefree as Mako, you see.”

A ‘ _Matoi Ryuko/Inner-Vision_ ’ movie presentation started rolling behind the younger sister’s spoke-shaped eyes: Kiryuin Satsuki, wide-open glare, hands crisscrossed above as a chorus of ‘ _Hallelujah_ ’ blared out from hidden megawatt speakers.

‘Not-Suki’ gesticulated wildly, and Ryuko had to summon all of her life-fiber-enhanced strength to not burst out loud laughing as the babbling voice issuing forth from Kartoon Kiryuin’s throat was less ‘ _Handel-Hallelujah_ ’ and more ‘ _Leonard Cohen-Hallelujah_ ’.

“S-sure, that’s understandable - _kaff_ \- Sats, I mean, who _-cough-_ else is that friggin’ bouncy, right? She’s, like, pure concentrated cheerfulness!”

Probing eyes examined the young girl. “Are you unwell, imouto? You seem to be coughing.”

“Oh! No, jus’ somethin’ stuck in my throat. There’s _-ahem-_ …nothin’ funny goin’ on here or anything.” Ryuko deadpanned. The face of a perfectly innocent angel gazed back at Satsuki: that’s how she knew something actually was on Ryuko’s mind.

Darts flew from Satsuki, carefully crafted queries that she estimated to be quite precise and on target. “What is it? Are you upset because I mentioned Mako? Did our _-ah-_ recent…intimacy cause issues with her? Is she angry with me? Or yourself, possibly?”

Ryuko’s nose scrunched up, and a genuine wave of confusion moved in. “Why would _she_ care? I mean, true…she _is_ my bestest buddy and all, but she’s never less than totally supportive of me. I could tell her I was gonna try to lift a frickin’ aircraft carrier, and she would just cheer me on, full strength! Bless her heart, right? Why? Why’re ya askin’?”

Satsuki touched her index fingertips together gingerly, illustrating her delicate thought process. “I was under the impression…I mean, I thought that you and she were, shall we say, friendly? In a…romantic manner? I certainly do not mean to pry, please understand! However, I wanted to set us both _straight_ with-“

Ryuko suddenly chuckled, understanding now creeping up to relax her form. She nudged Satsuki playfully. “Hah, yeah. _Straight_. Yep. That’s us…ya orgasmic screamer.”

Capillary reinforcements reported directly to Satsuki’s cheeks, post-haste. “I…wh-M- _Matoi Ryuko_! Is there really a need for that _now_?” Big sis was absolutely  adorable when flustered and shy came together to hijack her expression, Ryuko observed deliciously. Satsuki’s navy blue eyes were signal lamps, fluttering a staccato of sheer embarrassment in response to the salvo of Ryuko’s innuendo-tipped bombardment.

“Hey. You. Under the covers. Yeah, _you_. Satsuki! Come out with your hands up.”

“No. I refuse. You’ll just make fun of me again!”

“I won’t, I promise! I’m sorry if I upset ya, okaaay?”

“You are _not_ sorry. You are _never_ sorry. You, you…incorrigible wench!”

“C’mon. I won’t do it again. Seriously! I didn’t mean ta drive ya unnerground!”

“…do you _promise_ to leave me alone? I do not need this…this…humiliation! I am _Kiryuin Satsuki_! I should not be forced to seek refuge under a pillow!”

“Then don’t. I was just _teasin_ ’. You know I do that to, like, everyone…right? I kid because I love…so choke on it, ‘kay? That’s pure Ryuko love, I’ll have ya know. Handcrafted by the finest imoutos. Accept no substitutes!”

Ryuko stared at the burial mound, then checked her map. Yep, this was the last known location of her sister’s wounded pride, all right. The mound quivered, then slowly collapsed as the comforter and pillow wreckage was cleared away from the entrance. Satsuki peeked out of the fabric-cave, a hint of pout on her lips.

Ryuko slowly reached out, pressing thumb and forefinger to jutting chin. She gently whispered “Hey. There you are. I missed you. Oh, and no…we’re not like a ‘thing’ or anything. Mako and me, I mean.” Satsuki flushed, then dropped her eyes to the blankets.

“I’m…sorry for this. I don’t know what came over me. I’ve been experiencing these…unusual…feelings. Impulses! I don’t know what to do, how to act! I feel so utterly clueless! It is not the way a Kiryuin should behave!”

Young Matoi smiled gently, proud beyond measure to witness the first stumbling steps of a Brave New Satsuki. “Behave? What…you mean, be all discombobulated and stuff because I teased ya about yer super sexy supreme hotness? Well, I got news for ya, Sats. It’s called being _human_. Welcome. Please, enjoy the stay. Have some tea and crumpets.”

Satsuki still didn’t look convinced. Ryuko’s face took on that of determined concern. “Look, I never said any of this was gonna be _easy_ , y’know? Most people just go through life, figuring it all out as they go. Hell, I ain’t even too good at this whole living and feeling and thinking thing! Maybe I’m not the one who should be givin’ advice out, right? I mean, look at me. I’m not even really human, am I?”

Satsuki flashed a look of her own personal brand of concern back at Ryuko. “ _Don’t say that_! You are more human than most of the pigs I have ever witnessed out there! People love you…for your sheer honesty and energy and wonderful companionship. I long to be more…like you, someday.”

Ryuko’s slackened jaw could have become nest to a family of Japanese bush warblers at this point, and she would not have taken note. “There is _no_ _fucking way_ that’s true. _I’m_ the one who needs to be more like her sister, not the other way around! _You_ are the one everyone respects! _You_ are the prettiest and most intelligent and talented…and…the m-most perfect-“

Kiryuin Satsuki reached out and solemnly took hold of her sister’s shocked hand. “Ryuko, do I _seem_ perfect to you? Really? With _these_ kind of issues hounding my very soul? No, dear heart…I have a long way to go before you could even hope to say such things. I…have come to realize this, recently. Quite recently, in fact.”

Ryuko performed her trademark (unbeknownst to all, save her ever-observant sister) ‘blink-blink-frown-nose scrunch-eyes slitting’ routine that was commonly observed when her train of thought rear-ended an unexpected herd of baffling new ideas.

“H-huh? Whaddaya mean? What happened?” the ruddy cheeked ruffian sputtered out plaintively.

Satsuki shrugged. “Nothing really…happened, per se. Well, I suppose that is not entirely accurate. I have sought out the counsel of some…friends of mine. They have taken it upon themselves to assist me with my recent inability to process this…emotional reconfiguration period that I must obviously embark upon.”

“Emotional- _what_? Who even talks like th- _waitjustasecond_ , was this _very_ recently, by any chance…?”

“It was.”

“Do I know these…friends?”

“You do.”

“I see, I see…tell me, Kiryuin. Do these _friends_ now know about, y’know… _us_ , by any chance?”

“…they do.”

“Like, as in _us_ , us?”

“Yes. They are, in fact, aware that we had sex.”

“…oh, shitshit _shit_. They’ll  never cut me a break now! Maybe cut _me_ , sure, but not a break! Maybe a break of my _arms_ _and_ _legs_ …sure, right! Great. Just _great_! May as well just leave my ass out in a ditch somewhere, Kiryuin. I’m as good as  dead, now!”

“Ryuko. This will _not_ come to pass. You have my word.”

“That's it, man. Game over, man. Game over! What the fuck are we supposed to now, huh, what are we gonna do?”

“I have spoken to them, Ryuko. We have reached an understanding.”

“Oh, you mean you _understand_ where they’re gonna leave my body, is that it? Will it at least be _warm_ there, or should I bring a fucking sweater? I-I can just pull up my tent stakes and leave, that’s it! I’ll just be the rōnin again! The lone wanderer, just out there, bein’ all…heroically lonely and stuff, all on my own…- _sniff_ -. Sats, I’ll miss ya! You c’n have all my junk, I won’t be able to bring it with me where I’m goin’. It’ll just _slow me down_ …it’ll be just me and my bike, my trusty steed, as we-”

“…are you quite finished, o’ vagabond drifter of pathos?”

“- _sigh_ -…I guess so, yeah. So, who’s this ‘Paythaus’, anyway? Was that a famous samurai drifter? Or maybe some legendary Greek warrior dude? It sounds Greek.“

“Ah, why yes, Ryuko. You are correct, it _is_ Greek. It’s a…truly sad story. I’ll tell you someday.”

“Maybe some other time, Sats. Right now, you need to tell me why you thought it was a good idea to tell _those two_ we screwed? Especially Jakuzure…she seems like the type that would make it hurt a _lot_ before the victim is buried in some horrible pit somewhere! Oh, and the info pimp knows? Now half the internet knows too, I’ll bet…”

“Yes, Nonon _can_ be vicious at times, this is true. Look, imouto-san. It’s late, and we are both so very tired. Let us rest for now, and we can go over everything tomorrow…when we have both had a chance to cool down, all right? Do you trust me, Ryuko?”

“- _tch_ \- I guess.”

“Then please _trust_ me when I say that you are in no trouble of the sort, and you will, in fact, find arrangements to be most agreeable to all from here on out, okay?

“-sigh- Fine. I’ll trust ya. I _guess_.”

“Well, it certainly brings me joy to hear you having such faith in my word, Ryuko.”

“It ain’t you, Wonderbrows…it’s _them_ I don’t trust.”

“Ryuko, I understand your trust issues, truly I do. They have not exactly…properly extended the olive branch of peace to you. They soon will. However, _you_ will also have to make efforts as well if it is to work. Understood?”

“Yes, Sensei Kiryuin.”

“Very well then, out goes the light. I will make us breakfast when we get up, all right?”

“…mmyeah, s’cool.”

“Excellent. Get some rest, and sweet dreams.”

_*click*_

-

-

-

“ _Rrrrgrumble -_ m’gonna find a way to give you a Dutch oven, ya sanctimonious, snooty, tea-sniffin’, highfalutin _-“_

“… _nnnmsorry, wha_ -what was that, Ryuko? Did you say a…Dutch oven? What on Earth for? Isn’t that like a tetsunabe?”

“ _Holy-how freakin’_ _good is your damned hearing, you_ _-ahem_ \- Y-yeah, it’s a kind of oven. For cooking…desserts!”

‘ _Yeah,_ _heh-heh-heh… just desserts! Okay, I’m tickled at the very idea…”_

“That sounds absolutely lovely…but let’s talk about it over tomorrow, okay imouto-chan?”

“Mmm-hmm. Oh, we’ll be _talking_ , all right…”

_‘Yep, ‘bout what I’m gonna do to ya tonight, hee-hee-heeee!’_

“Indeed we shall. Oh, and Ryuko?”

“…yeah, Sats?”

“I love you. More than you can possibly imagine. Please do not _ever_ forget this.”

“I…I love you, too. S-sis…”

“Good night.”

_“…aw.”_

 

-

 

Morning brought the sounds of a toaster springing, the sizzling of bacon cooking and the scent of freshly brewed coffee to Ryuko’s senses. Sunrise was beginning to glint through the intricate cut-glass edges of the windows, delicate prismatic lights etched across the ceiling. Birds could be heard, twitting about in one of the estate’s nearby copse of Japanese maples.

She hated it.

“Mmmrblghh. Wha-bleh. What died in my mouth last night…and can I be buried with it?” she mumbled, hating mornings with an unholy passion.

One arm swept out across the bed, seeking a warm body to hug (… _and to beg for just twenty more minutes from the judge, I can start weeping if I have to…_ ). Finding only a Satsuki-shaped empty hollow in the comforters, her mind clicked and chuffed for a while, calculating the complex algorithms to piece this cipher together. _‘Breakfast being made plus Satsuki not here equals…uhh…hmm…lesse here…carry the six…add forty two…oh. She’s up already. Of course.’_

Kiryuin Satsuki’s face lit up when Ryuko’s shuffling, butt-scratching, yawning corpse made itself known. A bright smile greeted the grumpy youngster with a sing-song lilt to her voice.

“Ah! Good morning, Ryuko! Please, have a seat here and I will bring you some food. I have taken the liberty of preparing a Western-style omelet for you; it will only have _cheese_ in it, of course. I did not seek to hide any healthy vegetables within… _this_ time!”

Ryuko gritted her teeth. “-mumblegrumble- _Get thee behind me, Satan…_ ” she muttered, trudging over to plop into her chair. Satsuki cocked one ear towards the quiet comment. “Sorry dear? I…didn’t quite catch that?”

“Uh, I said ‘ _Gosh, I sure am hungry, Satsuki_!’ Sorry, I’m a little…out of it fer some reason…might be the single digits on the clock over there…are numbers supposed to be that _small_ when you wake up?” Ryuko said, squinting her eyes to verify the microwave’s displayed time.

Satsuki laughed lightly, placing a steaming mug of coffee before Ryuko while she did so. “Surely you jest? It’s 6:43 A.M.! This is the _latest_ I’ve slept in since I was fourteen! I must thank you, imouto-chan! Having you next to me in bed made me feel so…so _safe_ , I slept like a proverbial rock!”

‘ _Ugh._ _Morning people should be shot, then buried. Then dug up and revived, just to be shot again._ ’ the recently-appointed bedtime hero mulled, counterfeiting a chipper grin while sucking the warm liquid down. “Glad to be of service, hot stuff.”

Ryuko sniffed the coffee. “Hey, this ain’t decaf, is it?” Satsuki’s upturned nose telegraphed a derisive response. “Of course not. I certainly know better than to provide _you_ with such a pointless substance.”

Cold hands enjoying the welcome heat, Ryuko produced a faint smile of gratitude as she cradled the mug of holy water. “Jus’ checkin’. Imma need all the help I can get if yer getting’ me up at this hour. Why are we up at this hour, by the way?”

Placing a few strips of bacon upon Ryuko’s plate, Satsuki shrugged nonchalantly. “I hadn’t really planned this, it just seemed right to commemorate such an occasion. I waited as long as I could. I hope it’s not too much of a bother?”

Briefly examining the coffee mug’s inscription ‘ _World’s Best Boss’_ , Ryuko rolled an amused eye before fixing Satsuki with a mildly quizzical glance. “Occasion? What…is today special or somethin’? I didn’t get the memo.”

Satsuki settled before her own assortment of sliced fruit, yogurt and a bagel. Gingerly placing a linen napkin upon her lap, she then proceeded to raise her favorite tea cup to her lips, said cup only making an appearance due to the significance of this event. Eyes closed in bliss, she was enjoying the ever-present Zen moment that always accompanied the first sip.

“Well, imouto, it’s mostly for me, actually. You see, last night was something of a revelation.” She swiped a pat of fat free cream cheese across the bagel, expertly working the rounded knife around the doughy crust’s edges.

Satsuki ignored the mumbled-with-appalling-morning-breath ‘ _Ew, spackling paste!_ ’ criticism leveled at her choice of bagel topping. Locking a steady gaze with her bleary-eyed younger sibling, she primly announced “It would appear that I did not experience a _single_ nightmare as I slept.”

Ryuko paused abruptly in the middle of her scheduled omelet demolition, now in progress. “Datfs good, wight?” she murmured through a mouthful of egg.

“Good? I would say that it’s nothing short of amazing. I cannot tell you the last time I felt like this! Well…I suppose I can, actually. It was… _-ahem-_ a few weeks ago, actually _.”_ A brief flare of embarrassment bloomed in her cheeks, caught unaware that she would be somehow referring to _that_ night at breakfast.

“Ohhh _yeahhh_ …? Ya mean, after I left ya feelin’ numb below the waist when I made ya cum like _eight_ friggin’ times in a-“

“* _cough_ * _M-Matoi_! Not at the  breakfast table! Have some _decency_!” the intensely flustered Kiryuin sputtered, jostling her tea cup and saucer in the process.

Ryuko beamed the grin of champions, thoroughly enjoying this morning’s entertainment. She feigned modesty, gently cracking her neck back and forth as she did. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say ‘thank you’. Not like _I_ could that night, since my jaw was, like, completely seized up after-“

A brilliant crimson forehead held up Satsuki’s eyebrows over a billboard of pure irritated chagrin. Unwilling to provoke Mount Satsuki-jima any longer, she surrendered before the magma chamber blew its top.

“Okay, okay! I’ll stop, I promise! Ease back, I’ll be good now!” Ryuko proffered, verbal weapons surrendered before the wrathful goddess. She candidly went back to assaulting her breakfast, watching out of the corner of her eye as her sister slowly settled back into a more tranquil mode.

The clacking of silverware was the only soundtrack for a few minutes, both parties unwilling to break the imposed intermission of awkward silence. Matoi Ryuko mentally reviewed her limited database of proper dining etiquette, trying to somehow scrape up enough currency to be allowed to speak again. She proceeded to straighten up and dine in a manner she hoped would be pleasing to the critical Kiryuin eye.

Satsuki proceeded to sigh to herself quietly, and Ryuko interpreted it as a sign that she was allowed to unsheathe her tongue once more.

Ryuko casually nudged what she hoped was a conversational offering out for her sister’s consideration. “Oi, so…I take it that maybe I’ll be a welcome addition to yer bedtime routine, then?”

Fist crashing down to the table, Satsuki grabbed a dull butter knife and jabbed it towards her uncouth sibling’s utterly shocked face. A blob of butter * _spacked_ * against Ryuko’s cheek as Satsuki went to DEFCON 1.

“IF YOU UTTER _ONE MORE_ DAMNED INNUENDO, I’LL WELD YOUR MOUTH SHUT WITH A FLAMETHROWER!!” Satsuki screamed, neck veins straining to keep up with the flow of anger encased within.

“ _AHHFUCKMERUNNINGIdidntdoit!_ S-Satsuki! Please! I-I _didn’t_! I swear to all that is fibrous and glowing that I did _not _ mean that in the way it might have sounded. I swear, it was unintentional! I was done! I was _dumb_! P-p- _please_! Dum-Dum Ryuko did it again! P-pleasedontsetmeonfireImsosorrypleasepleaseplease-“ Forearms crossed over cowering head, Ryuko trembled with eyes glistening, much like an incontinent puppy caught in the living room next to a tiny puddle.

Steam may have been rising from Satsuki’s collar. It was hard to tell. Not even the bravest volcanologist would dare to tread upon _this_ ominously bulging face.

Inspector Kiryuin reviewed the evidence, played back the case logs, researched her suspect’s motives and psychological profile…and then checked her pity budget’s allowance for this week. She discovered a tiny crumb of mercy within, left over from the last time Ryuko tested her nigh-infinite patience.

Butter weapon lowered, she sniffed derisively in the direction of the most-probably-reprieved inmate. “Very well. Pass me the ‘ _spackling paste’_ , and I shall consider your sentence.”

Ryuko wordlessly nodded an overly enthusiastic chin, carefully offering the ‘ _Matoi’s Most Humble_ _Special Reserve Cream Cheese of Highest Respect, Quality and Apology’_ over to her most merciful grace.

Kiryuin Satsuki, Imperial Lady of Breakfast Court regally accepted the dish, delicately placing it near her bagel as she prepared to dress the other half. She absorbed the waves of quiet mortification that Peasant Girl Ryuko was now radiating: it was not often that the brash young girl was rendered completely speechless, and Satsuki intended to soak it in while she could.

“Yes.” Satsuki uttered, breaking the silence wall once she had consumed her fill under her blissfully chosen terms.

Ryuko blinked, then scratched the back of her neck nervously as she shakily mumbled “…y-yes? Ya mean, ‘ _yes,_ _you can speak now’_ yes? Or ‘ _yes,_ _yer gonna die slow_ ’ yes? It’s not…um…clear right now, sorry.”

Satsuki smirked, gently clarifying her comment. “It means ‘ _Yes,_ _I would greatly appreciate it if you would honor me by joining me in bed from now on, as it has a most positive effect on my sleep_ _patterns_ ’ yes.”

Understanding slowly snuck in and removed the canvas sack of incomprehension from over Ryuko’s head. “ _Oh_. Oh, okay, cool. That’s…oh, that’s _cool_.” Her eyes brightened, the implications finally blooming.

“Are ya sure? I mean, I’m not exactly the quietest sleeper. I might…snore sometimes, just a little bit. Also, I _may_ occasionally drool. But just, like, a _tiny_ bit!” Ryuko held up her thumb and forefinger, indicating the tiniest molecule of an idea.

Satsuki reached out and, smiling ever so slightly as she did, gently pulled apart the fingers until they were about two inches apart. “Just a _little_ bit…”

“Oi! It’s not _my_ fault! I’m a deep sleeper! Deep thinking means deep _sleeping_!” The indignance was sliceable by blade at this point.

Satsuki laughed in earnest just then, a delicate, twinkling exclamation that seemed positively alien in nature to the young Matoi’s ears. Ryuko eyed the favored tea cup warily, wondering if it was somehow a cover for some early morning _wine_ instead.

“Ryuko…I know these things. I don’t mind. In fact, I rely upon it…oh, all right. Perhaps the phrase ‘ _slept like a rock_ ’ was a stretch. I _did_ have a somewhat disturbing phantom panic last night. But when I awoke…I turned and I heard you, sawing away. I felt your pillow, wet with drool. I knew then…that it was  real. That you were actually _there_. For _me_.”

A hitch, then another. Tears of the purest gratitude welled up in Satsuki’s eyes as she reached out and caressed Ryuko’s rough knuckles. Her voice grew uneven, quavering as she forged on.

“You…have _no idea_ …how comforting that was for me. To know that a blood relative was there, in my bed…right next to me…and she wasn’t there to h- _hurt_ me. She was there to…to _love_ me.”

Ryuko grasped her sibling’s hand and squeezed a stamp of loving trust into her flesh. “Of _course_ I am. I would  never hurt you. Well, I-I mean, I _did_ , back in the day. B-but I won’t ever _again_ , y’know? That was then, and this is now. Now, I’m here for ya. Always, for as long as ya can put up with me!”

Linen napkin catching tear drops instead of tea drops, Satsuki sniffled and gasped, breathless with this odd swell of… _something_ that threatened to fill her chest with…what the hell _was_ that, anyway? It wasn’t sadness or pain. Not really. Mild discomfort, perhaps. Indigestion, this early? But she had hardly begun to eat?

Noting that Satsuki’s hand was pressing upon her ribs with mild confusion, Ryuko snorted and whispered “Yer chokin’ on it right now.”

“Wh-what…? I’m - _ahem_ \- not _choking_ , Ryuko…?” _‘…I think…?’_ Satsuki pondered to herself, confident of this fact, yet for lack of another ailment to name…

“My love. I kid ya, so yer positively _choking_ on it. I told ya so. Heh.” Toothy grin flashed, and sister blushed accordingly.

“You are so silly sometimes, imouto. I don’t know _how_ you do it, but-“

“Talent! Pure, awesome talent! I positively _stagger_ under its weight, ya know. But I’m also so damned strong, so it just don’t matter! Oh, yeah. Check it out.” Her bicep pulsed with pride, and Satsuki giggled.

“There’s the proof, right _there_. Silliness. So abundant and carefree. Oh, dear. I may swoon.” Satsuki theatrically placed one wrist upon her forehead, napkin clutched against her breast.

Ryuko’s eyes bugged out at such a comedic gesture. “Oh. My. _God_. Sats, is that you? Are you there? I need you to  prove that it’s you…I think that my sister has been replaced by a shapeshifter! Hello! Anyone? She made a joooooke!”

Ryuko grabbed Satsuki’s napkin-clad hand, eyes ablaze with worry. “Okay, you…you _pod person_! I’m gonna need you to volunteer some piece of info that only my _real_ onee-san would know…or I’m gonna hafta  interrogate ya! So spill!”

“Oh, no. I don’t know…this is quite volatile information. I’m not sure if I should breathe such secrets out in the open.”

“You have no choice! I’ll take a bug zapper to ya if ya don’t!”

“Well, in _that_ case…I just so happen to know of her younger sister’s…weakness. Her Achilles heel, if you will.”

“Impossible! She _has_ no known weaknesses! You lie, _false Kiryuin_!”

“Ah, but I’m afraid so. You see, if one were to reach over and press…here, in a most - _hrrf_ \- firm manner, you would observe her to become quite…aroused, shall we say?”

“I don’t know what you _-ahn!-_ m-mean. Surely you’re… _-ahhmm_ mistaken?”

“Oh, are you quite certain? I assure you, this information is most - _rmmf-_ accurate.”

“I’m not - _ssshit-_ sure I know wh- _huff_ \- you’re talkin’- _heffhuhh-huhh-ahh_ -ab-b-bout-t…“

“Oh, my! It would appear that this knowledge - _nnngh_ \- has…started to _leak_ out? Hmm?”

“Rrrgh, you fight dirty, ya - _guh!-_ Th-this is not f-fair at all _…-unh!”_

“ _Fair_? Why, I do recall a certain  someone exclaiming that _oh, what was it_? Ah, yes. ‘All’s  fair in love and war?’ Does _that_ ring a little…swollen… _bell_?”

“- _Ah-hahh-ahh-_ heh-heh, you aren’t gonna h-hold that against me, are ya? - _ooh-_!”

“What I _hold_ against you is up to  me. Robe off. _Now_.”

“Holy hell, _fine_ …here, just - _rrrrRRRrrr_ -there! Happy?”

“Lean back. Spread your legs. Now, let’s see…what would happen if I pressed right about… _here?”_

“…oh, oh, oh my g-g-goddds-h-hel-hellp-mee-…”

“Or _here_? Hmm? Are we closer to _learning_ anything?”

“Yes, that’s I’m a bit - _gasp_ \- s-sore down there now- _owww_.”

“Mmm. Duly noted. I’ll just back off, then. There we go. Anything _else_ to report?”

“Y-yeah that I’ll _die_ if we don’t f-fuck right this v-very _second_! Please! Don’t leave me hangin’! K-keep going! I’ll do anything!”

“Oh, really. _Any_ thing…?”

“- _ohgods_ \- Y-yes! _YES!_ ”

“Hmm…very well, then. _This contract is sealed_. Let me just…come over here and I’ll numb the sore area, you poor girl…-mmm- _num-nummm-numm_ “

“You did not just fuckin’ s-say tha-F-fuck! _GODS_! _Help me_! _Hear my plea_! - _nnn-ah-_!”

“- _mmmcantsaveyounowmmm_ -“

“H-hello? Amaterasu? It’s me, Ryuko _-o-ohthatsmyclit!_ P-Please don’t let me die- _eeeeeeep_?”

“- _mmmn-mmmmmf-_ “

“ _ohprettyplease-_ S-Susanoo-ooopleasesomeoneanyonesavemeeee _-_ UNH! _-hunh-hrrf! -hah-hah-hah-heff-“_

_“-mmm-nmm-nmm-nmm-“_

_“-ohgod_ b-b-Buddha? V-vishnu-theonewiththebeard-theotheronewiththebeard-p-please-helllppppp _-”_

_“-mmm-nummceaseyourblasphemyumm-nmm-mmmf-mmmff-“_

_“…ohsowet-_ P-Poseidon? If yer not too busy, couldja _-ooohhh-“_

_“-hmmm-mmmn-nmm-“_

_“oh-hell-doyouweightliftwithyourtongue too? _Oh, oh oh, fuckinrollercoasterrr-m’gonna… _gonnaaa_ \- _ah! Ah!_ **AH!** **AAAAA** AAAaaaaH **HH** H-AA **AH** HH-aaaaaaaahhh-aaaaahhh-ahhhnnn…huff-huff-whooo-hooo-fffuckin _hell_ …- _fhew!_ -mmm-ohboy. Uh. Wow. That was…wow. All, like…wow, n’stuff.”

“- _mmhmm_ -yes, that _was_ quite exhilarating. Okay….enough rest! Now get up.”

“Ohhhh, I see. It’s my turn to do some work fer you now, yeah? Heh-heh-heh!”

“Oh, it certainly _is_ , Ryuko! Here.”

“Aw, yeah! Time ta get busy- _wait_. Uh…Satsuki?”

“Yes, my dear imouto?”

“This appears to be…some rubber _gloves_?”

“Ah, indeed, you are _most_ perceptive!”

“Wha-what am I supposed ta frickin’ do with- _hey_! What’s with the _pushing_?”

“Here. Get to work.”

“B-but, in front of the _sink_ …?”

“Yes, Matoi. That’s where the _dishes_ are located. _I_ prepared breakfast, _you_ shall wash the dishes. Hop to it.”

“Aw! But I don’t _wanna_ -“

“You _promised_ , remember? You would do… _any_ thing? Well, I’m off to freshen up. Please do a good job.”

“B-but-but…what about-”

“ _Now_ , please.”

_“…aw.”_

 

 

-

 

 

Satsuki waltzed into the living room, humming a jaunty tune to herself as she spied one nude Matoi Ryuko, television remote in one hand, soda can in the other…lightly snoring away. Lithe legs splayed out beside her, she looked positively graceful, a ballerina safely caught mid-jump by the most helpful couch.

Biting her lower lip, she stepped quietly over to the napping lass, leaning over to whisper into Ryuko’s ear “Oh, Ryuuukooo. Are you awake?”

“…zzztwennymoreminuzzzzpleazzzzz…”

Satsuki sighed. “Oh, Ryuko? We have things to do. I certainly hope you finished the task at hand. The dishes are done, I presume?”

Ryuko’s lips flapped together like moist rubber, mumbling a poutface of disciplinary dissatisfaction. “…yesszzzzdishezweredunnnnzzz…“

Delicately securing the unopened soda can from Ryuko’s loose fist, Satsuki placed it down upon the far end table as she snickered to herself quietly.

“Ryuko? Hey, do want to see a neat trick?” she murmured to the dozing teen, taking the time to snap a quick evidence photo of Ryuko’s drool-slick jaw on her phone as she put her plan into action. Nothing wrong with building up a blackmail cache for future reference, is there?

“…zzzmmmokayI _like_ magictricksszzz…” she burbled. Satsuki cracked her knuckles, then cleared her throat to prepare for the unleashing of her ‘ _Sonic Boom Wakeup Call_ (ソニックブームのウェイクアップコール)’.

Former Honnōji Academy Student Council President Kiryuin Satsuki stood at full attention, arms folded behind her back in military stiffness. “Ahem. LAZY SISTER _OVERRIDE_! (怠惰な姉妹のオーバーライド)” she barked loudly, and was not disappointed with the immediate response it elicited.

Ryuko’s prone form reflexively bolted up, stimulated by what her body perceived as about fifty thousand volts of electricity, delivered by express courier directly to her shapely bottom. Satsuki was treated to a Cirque-du-soleil level of acrobatic performance as the startled teen’s body arced in midair, flipping over and landing with precise balance upon the sofa’s arm.

Holding the television remote up to her chin defensively as a star baseball player would handle a bat right before the _crack_ of a home run, she hyperventilated rapidly as wild eyes surveyed the area for the dastardly menace. Finding none, her gaze fell upon the amused visage of one highly amused sister instead.

“Ah, lovely! You’re up. Get dressed, please. I have need of you.” Satsuki ordered succinctly. Ryuko’s nostrils flared and wiggled, jaw set in marble relief. A bestial growl issued forth from her chest as Satsuki deftly plucked the remote from her grasp.

“Don’t worry Ryuko. Someday, you’ll best me. Today, however…is _not_ that day. Please meet me in my office when you are properly clad.” She walked away, leaving Ryuko to fume and stomp her way to achieving this clothing goal.

 

-

 

Ryuko reported to Satsuki’s office as requested, dressed in a casual track outfit. Hands shoved deep in her sweatshirt’s pockets, she sauntered over to the Kiryuin office desk.

Glancing over her sister’s shoulder, she squinted at the computer monitor’s soft glow. “Whatcha workin’ on?” Ryuko queried, recognizing the photos of the Kiryuin estate’s back section.

“Ah. This is the project that I wish for you to consider. I desire your honest opinion.” Satsuki used one of her reading glasses’ arms to point at various photos, illustrating her focus. “This is a computerized mockup of a bronze sculpture that I wish to add to the estate’s rear façade. It’s to be placed here, behind the gardens. This is what the statue would look like, should it be installed. What do you think?”

Ryuko regarded the photos, reaching over to manipulate the mouse and scroll through the mockup’s pages of analysis. “It’s very…heroic, I guess?” The pictures depicted a powerfully built man, hammer raised overhead as he worked to transform a large sword into the shape of a plow, blade embedded into the ground before his feet.

“Looks kinda Soviet Russia-ish, like the ‘worker-knows-best’ propaganda stuff that’s always painted in those murals…ya know?” the young Matoi thoughtfully observed, and Satsuki’s heart swelled with a dollop of pride at the accuracy of her sibling’s response.

“Why Ryuko, that is _most_ observant of you! You certainly must have been listening to ‘Professor’ Mikisugi’s history lectures!” she beamed, and Ryuko mumbled “Oh, sure. When I wasn’t distracted by his ‘ _glitz-tits_ ’, maybe…”

Satsuki frowned slightly. “Ah, y-yes…well, what can I say? Teacher’s union. Anyway, your observation is correct. This is ‘ _Let Us Beat Swords into Plowshares_ ’, a sculpture by Soviet artist Yevgeny Vuchetich.”

Ryuko shrugged. “Uh huh. Nice bum. So, what is the sudden fascination with this about, then?”

Satsuki’s face became that of wistfulness, considering her words carefully as she spoke. “This…was sculpted to represent the human wish to end all wars by converting the weapons of death and destruction into peaceful and productive tools that are more beneficial to mankind. ‘Swords to plowshares’…a concept in which military weapons are converted for peaceful civilian use…this is what I wish for myself, Ryuko.”

Ryuko smirked, mischief brewing deep within. “Oi, so you wanna become a farmer, then?”

Face melded into a look of perfectly unimpressed disapproval, Satsuki stared at her sister. “No, Ryuko. That’s _not_ what I meant.”

Ryuko rolled her eyes as she snorted playfully. “Serious Satsuki is serious.” she chuckled, her own face taking on an imitation of her frustrated sister’s demeanor.

“If. You. Would. Be. So. _Kind_.” The annoyed elder sister hissed, and Ryuko guffawed out loud, clearly tickled.

“Aw, I’m jus’ kiddin, ya big goof! I _get_ it, I really do. Relax the ‘ _Eyebrows O’ Doom_ ’, ‘kay? I think it’s a great idea.”

Satsuki’s brow did indeed loosen, taking on a hint of relaxed acceptance as Ryuko’s hand reached out to squeeze her own.

“It is what I must accomplish, now. I need to become a force of kindness and good in this world if I am to pay penance for my past crimes.”

“Well, I think you’ll make a _great_ cowgirl, Farmer Sats!”

 _“-sigh-_ ”

 

-

 

Nonon arrived later that evening, doorbell jauntily announcing her presence.

“Hey.”

“Hey…”

Nonon and Ryuko regarded each other silently, music lesson waiting for their visual gladiatorial combat to conclude.

“So.”

“So…”

“ _-sigh-_ You and Lady Satsuki, huh?”

“Yep.”

“Hmm. I see. Hurt her, and I’ll _kill_ you. Got it?”

“Yep.”

“They won’t find the body.”

“Yep.”

“Okay. Now that’s out of the way, get out your guitar and impress me.”

“Yes, Sensei Jakazure.”`

It was not a confrontation for the record books, per se…save that it broke important ground and set the stage for Matoi Ryuko’s own true heart’s desire…that of acceptance.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to 'A Cup of Kindness'.
> 
> Although...now that I think of it, I might be muddling the 'chapter' vs. 'sequel' concept. Ugh. After comparing this to other stories that have been chugging along for a while? Yep. I think so. It was clearer in my head going into it, anyways. Meh. Sorry about the confusion. This 'Love and War' series is all part of the same big ridiculous story arc. One story. One! That's all I came here to tell. Now I'm working on two more sequel/chapter/whatever submissions after this...why? I dunno. My head hurts. 
> 
>  
> 
> Content notes: 
> 
> \- Louis Rhead's illustrated 'Robin Hood' (I own this beautiful book, myself. 1912 edition): https://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/r/rhead/rhead/000.jpg
> 
> \- the Kiryuin family name (鬼龍院): 'Temple of the Demon Dragon’ or perhaps 'School of the Demon Dragon’, depending on how one interprets the kanji 院…feels like ‘School’ is appropriate here, if you consider the show’s story. Also, 龍 (ryuu) can mean 'imperial’, so it could be read as 'Temple or School of the Imperial Demon’ as well. 
> 
> \- Skinship: An actual thing! The word is a portmanteau, combining "skin" with the last syllable of "friendship". The similarity with the English word 'kinship' suggests a further explanation: use of the word "skinship" in English seems to focus on the notion of sharing a bath naked, an idea known in Japanese as "naked association" (裸の付き合い). 
> 
> \- ‘Wet hair resets wild hair!’ is a direct reference to artist Herokick’s beautiful picture about the subject: http://56.media.tumblr.com/e669d97071b96ced22c827ba312b5fd0/tumblr_nie5cku6At1smyvt8o4_1280.jpg
> 
> \- The Japanese deities* Amaterasu (The name Amaterasu: derived from Amateru, meaning ‘shining in heaven’, much like the famous ‘aura’ of a certain Kiryuin Satsuki) and Susanoo (translated as ‘His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness’, perfect for tomboy Ryuko!) have a well-known sibling rivalry. Hmm…
> 
> \- Swords to ploughshares (for a picture of the aforementioned statue): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swords_to_ploughshares
> 
> *No disrespect was intended to any gods, living or fictional. Any resemblances observed here are purely coincidental. No apologies to Bill Paxton, however.


End file.
